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Of all the cosmetic problems that you might want to address, hair removal has the widest range of available treatment options. They range from traditional shaving, plucking, and waxing techniques, through depilatory creams, threading, electrolysis, IPL, and on to our favorite – laser hair removal. Read on for a summary of the various advantages offered by this treatment method.

Highly Effective Hair Removal

Laser hair removal has been extensively tested and is regarded as providing the most reliable, safe, and long-term solution for hair removal. Depending on the laser equipment being used, it can now be used by people with light or dark complexions, and with any hair color. Laser light pulses are focused and applied very precisely, allowing very fine control over which hair follicles are targeted by each treatment. A consequence of this is that individual treatments provide more “bang for your buck,” and allow desired results to be more quickly achieved.

No Annoying Side Effects

Lasers can be used to target hair anywhere on the body, with the sole exception of areas immediately surrounding the eyes. Laser hair removal provides long-term results – hair typically doesn’t re-grow for years, and if it does reappear it is typically finer and lighter in color. Laser hair removal does not cause razor burn, skin irritation, or ingrown hairs following treatment, avoiding major causes of discomfort and irritation caused by more traditional techniques. As laser light pulses are used to target hair follicles beneath the skin’s surface, they’re also effective at removing any existing ingrown hairs.

Due to the way that individual hair follicles exhibit cyclic behavior, and because laser pulses can only kill hair follicles when they’re actively growing, you will need to repeat laser hair removal more than once before all hair in a given area will be removed. Permanent (or long-term) hair removal will be achieved after several sessions – sometimes as few as five or six, sometimes more.

Quick and Easy Treatment Sessions

Convenient individual treatment sessions are typically short in duration, normally between 10 and 20 minutes. Results are normally apparent within a week or two. Unlike other techniques, laser hair removal is effective without needing to first wait for individual hairs to grow out to the skin’s surface. This means that you can continue shaving in the midst of a course of laser hair removal sessions – unlike waxing, for example, when you have to show up for treatment with visible surface hair in place. As individual treatments are relatively short, you should be able to schedule laser hair treatment at a time that’s convenient for you.

Cost-Savings Over Time

Cost-effective laser hair removal is not only an effective and rapid way to eliminate unwanted body hair, but its results are also long-lasting. Consequently, it will allow you to avoid having to regularly schedule hair removal sessions and/or purchase hair removal supplies. Once the cost and time savings that come with being able to eliminate regular hair removal treatments are factored in, laser hair removal is the most cost-effective long-term solution. Electrolysis is sometimes regarded as a less expensive alternative to laser hair removal, however, it requires a far larger number of treatments to be equally effective, making its overall cost higher.

Plus, laser hair removal offers a very low chance of side effects; any that do occur are overwhelmingly minimal and of short duration. When administered by an experienced practitioner it is regarded as a very safe technique.

Los Angeles Laser Hair Removal

Your Laser Skin Care specializes in a number of safe and minimally-invasive aesthetic procedures. To learn more about eliminating unwanted hair for good, contact us at 323-525-1516 for more information.

A common symptom of aging is the loss of volume in the face, leading to more prominent wrinkles, lines and folds in the skin, and deepening eye sockets. The primary causes are the natural age-related loss of collagen, fat, and water beneath the skin, in addition to the stretching both of the skin, and of the ligaments beneath the skin. However, loss of facial volume can also be due to several other causes, most of which can be avoided or minimized.

– Too Much Sun Exposure

 Although exposure to UV radiation present in sunshine has no direct link to loss of facial volume, it does contribute to the loss of collagen which in turn reduces skin elasticity and overall vitality. Sun exposure prematurely accelerates the aging process – we are all more susceptible to loss of facial volume as we age, but that’s no reason to hurry this process along.

– Too Much Dieting and/or Exercise

Many people go through many cycles of weight gain and loss as they try to achieve long-term weight reduction. There are several reasons why this can be undesirable, not the least being that the constant changes in body volume can result in facial ligaments becoming stretched, reducing one’s face’s natural elasticity. Excessive exercise can also have similar results if exercise burns so many calories that fat layers beneath the skin are reduced.

– Loss of Bone Mass

The loss of estrogen during the menopause has many undesirable effects on the body, including reductions in calcium levels in the bones. Loss of estrogen can directly lead to loss of facial volume, and indirectly (through calcium loss) to reductions in bone mass. Similar problems are also possible when experiencing non-menopausal hormonal problems. Taking calcium supplements may help combat bone loss and will provide women in particular with benefits – helping to slow down bone loss and osteoporosis.

– Smoking

Smokers, and in particular heavy smokers, have plenty of other negative health effects to worry about, but you can count loss of facial volume as one of them. Smoking contributes to premature aging of the skin (particularly in women), causing wrinkles. However, smoking can also result in reduced levels of estrogen, reduced blood flow, and damage to elastin fibers, leading to the same negative effects on facial volume as detailed above.

– Poor Diet and/or Dehydration

It’s important to ensure that you consume a balanced diet, including plant protein (from soybeans, nuts, and seeds), omega 3 fatty acids (from flax seed and fish), calcium (available from dairy as well as many other sources), and vitamins C and D. Adequate hydration also helps to maintain collagen levels.

Many people concentrate on the condition of their skin while neglecting to pay enough attention to the bones that provide support to their facial features. A healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, and supplements can alleviate many of the causes of facial volume loss, particularly if started early.

Your Laser Skin Care offers non-invasive procedures to help alleviate this condition, including the use of several different injectables that can be used to restore lost facial volume. Restylane, Juvederm, Juvederm Voluma, and Sculptra Aesthetic products can be used to address a wide range of facial problems and can help you combat any loss of volume to rejuvenate your face.

Some common-sense tips can be applied to the use of dermal fillers, Botox, and other injectables to help you achieve the improvements you’re looking for while still keeping a natural look. We assembled the following list to help you achieve the best results.

Understand the causes of a problem before trying to correct it.

This is where an experienced practitioner will be able to supply invaluable help – often the cause (or causes) of a problem can be far from obvious, and not necessarily even located in the same area.

Applying fillers in one part of the face can easily result in changes of appearance elsewhere -changes that may be positive or negative.

Maintaining balance and proportion between different parts of the face is critical to maintaining an overall natural appearance. As a result, fillers must often be applied to areas that may not seem directly connected to the problem area you’re aiming to address.

Don’t over-correct.

 One person’s idea of a natural look can be very different from another’s. So “over-correct” can mean very different things to different people. But all injectables have a common characteristic: multiple treatments can be used cumulatively. In other words, plan on using multiple procedures to achieve your desired look, and stop when you’re happy, before going too far. Even for injectables whose effects can be reversed, it’s far better not to have to roll-back from overdone results.

Don’t wait too long.

The best way to avoid having to make major corrections is to make minor ones proactively. It’s becoming far more popular to start early, treating cosmetic treatments as preventive rather than corrective. By addressing problems as soon as they show signs of starting to develop, it’s possible to avoid needing aggressive treatment. This also gives you the best chance of maintaining a natural look both during and after treatment.

Use injectables appropriately.

This is where your practitioner’s advice will be invaluable – each injectable (and there are many) has different characteristics, and choosing which one to use where, and to what degree, is more art than science. Some products are designed to fill-in sunken areas, while others are more adapted to repairing fine wrinkles, or in enhancing areas where maintaining a smooth skin texture is vital.

We choose between many different injectables according to your specific needs and desires. The list includes the Restylane, Juvederm, Voluma and Sculptra Aesthetic filler products, Botox for wrinkle reduction, and Kybella for fat reduction.

Be patient, don’t rush results.

By not trying to fix every problem in a single visit, but instead moving relatively slowly and giving each treatment time to show results, you will end up with more natural results, and may even require fewer visits to accomplish your goals.

Use a trained and experienced practitioner.

By far the best way to ensure that you get the best, most natural looking results is to choose your practitioner with great care. Experienced doctors will draw both on their medical training and on their experience treating patients over many years. Finding a doctor who combines this experience with a good eye will give you the best guarantee of good results. 

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Double chins are formed when a layer of fat around the neck starts to sag, causing a wrinkle to develop beneath the chin. They’re the result of having excess fat, excess skin, or a combination of both. Double chins are often associated with being overweight, but can actually be caused by several factors, including:

– Age

Skin loses its intrinsic elasticity as you age, which can result in loose skin sagging under the chin, which can allow a double chin to develop. Age related muscle and cartilage deterioration can also weaken the chin, leading to looser skin underneath.

– Diet and Weight

Gaining weight does not always result in a double chin, but it can certainly contribute to developing one. Having a double chin can unfortunately make one look overweight, even if the cause of the double chin is NOT weight related. Excess weight is however typically the cause of double chins in younger people.

– Genetics

 People with a family history of inelastic skin are at higher risk of developing a double chin. Similarly, some people are simply predisposed to storing body fat under the chin, even if they are not necessarily overweight.

– Posture

 Over time poor posture can weaken the muscles in the neck and chin area, which can result in the surrounding skin losing its elasticity. This, in turn, contributes to an increased chance of developing a double chin. It’s even been suggested that constantly looking down at one’s phone can contribute to causing skin under the chin to sag.

– Health Problems

 Double chins can also be caused by a number of health problems, including thyroid gland malfunction, swollen lymph glands, kidney disorders and facial swelling caused by inflamed salivary glands.

What Can be Done About a Double Chin?

Diet and exercise can be effective but will not typically deliver results fast enough for most people’s tastes. Also, it may not work in cases where genetics are a factor in developing a double chin.

Liposuction has traditionally been used to remove excess body fat, but is an invasive procedure requiring anesthetic with several worrying side effects. It also requires considerable recovery time, to say nothing of pain and discomfort.

Surgical facelifts have also been used to address double chins, but are an expensive, painful, and inherently more risky way to treat the condition. They are quickly falling out of fashion as more people look to non-invasive treatment options.

Non-Surgical Solutions for Double Chins

In 2017, the FDA approved the first non-surgical fat reduction treatment for use on double chins. This treatment, CoolSculpting, is able to reduce fat in the treated area by up to 20% after a single treatment and is a non-invasive procedure with minimal side effects. CoolSculpting works by killing fat cells using cooling pads applied to the skin – fat cells are more easily damaged by cold than other cells. The dead fat cells are eliminated naturally in the weeks following a treatment, which helps makes the reduction in the size of a double chin look natural.

Double chins don’t pose any direct health risk but minimizing them is something that many people want. CoolSculpting provides an accessible way for this to be accomplished, hence CoolSculpting procedures are very quickly growing in popularity. We recently added CoolSculpting to the list of services we offer at Your Laser Skin Care.

Finally, in cases when CoolSculpting may not be recommended, we also offer Kybella, another FDA-approved procedure that uses injections of a compound that causes fat cells to break down and dissolve. Kybella is also an effective treatment option for double chins.

We’ll be delighted to schedule a consultation if you’d like to explore whether CoolSculpting or Kybella is a possible treatment option for you.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Time to dispose of some well-known sunscreen “facts” that aren’t actually true at all. You might think that suggesting that you worry about sun protection in the middle of the winter demonstrates particularly bad timing on our part, but please read on. There are some very good reasons why it’s never a bad time to think about protection from the sun.

Myth 1: It’s only necessary to use sunscreen to prevent sunburn while tanning.

Sadly, no. Exposure to sunlight, over time, will cause premature aging of the skin. This damage is not limited to your face and will happen even if you’re on vacation, sitting on a beach under an umbrella, swimming, wearing clothing, and even when you’re out and about on a cloudy day. Most importantly, you can damage your skin without even knowing it, and certainly without necessarily feeling your skin burning.

Recently there have been important changes to the way that sunscreen is used – instead of reserving its use for days when you know you’ll be exposed to a lot of sunlight (vacation, hiking, outdoor events), more and more people are incorporating it into their daily skin care regimen. And with this trend we see sunscreen products evolving away from heavy, greasy creams, towards products that incorporate moisturizers, and are far more easily applied to, and absorbed by, the skin.

Myth 2: One sunscreen product is much like another.

The most obvious difference between different sunscreen products is the degree of protection from sunlight ultra-violet rays that they provide. A sunscreen product’s SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating is a measure of how effectively a product protects your skin. SPF ratings typically range from 15 at the low end, up to 50 or even more at the high end. However, the SPF scale is not linear, and high-SPF rated products may not offer significantly greater protection than low-rated ones. We believe it’s more important to find a sunscreen product that you’re comfortable applying several times a day than to choose a product based simply on its SPF rating.

Aside from their SPF factor, products differ widely in the degree to which they offer protection when exposed to water. Regardless of what the manufacturers claim, no sunscreen is completely waterproof. You should re-apply sunscreen several times during the day to maintain effective protection, as well as immediately following any water exposure. Bear in mind that sunscreens also take several minutes to be absorbed by the skin, and so should be applied several minutes before exposing yourself to water.

Myth 3: Most sun damage occurs when young, so it’s not as important to protect against sun damage when older.

Unfortunately not. Damage from the sun is cumulative and takes place regardless of your age. Given the average life span, less than 25% of your lifetime exposure to sunlight occurs before the age of 18, so there’s plenty of time (and reason) for you to take care of your skin as you age, regardless of how well (or not) you protected your skin when younger.

Myth 4: Wearing sunscreen reduces one’s Vitamin D levels.

Today we are more aware of health problems that can be caused by low levels of vitamin D in the body, and people with low levels of vitamin D can easily combat this by taking supplements. Although the body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, and although sunscreen obviously works to limit sunlight exposure, medical studies have concluded that sunscreen application does not have a significant effect on most people’s levels of vitamin D. Age, skin color, and weight (only one of which we have any control over!) have more effect on our levels of vitamin D.

Myth 5: Having olive or dark-skin means that I can’t burn.

Our last myth to bust is a very pervasive one: does having olive or dark skin allow one to spend more time in the sun without protection? In a word, no. Having darker skin may mean that one burns more slowly, but anyone can suffer damage from too much sunlight exposure, regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, even though very dark complexioned people are less likely to develop skin cancer, those that do are more likely to develop complications. Melanoma is a particularly dangerous form of skin cancer, and having a dark complexion can lead to delays in diagnosing the condition.

Using sunscreen on a regular basis is something that we ALL need to do. A related belief is that maintaining a tan will provide some degree of protection against further damage to the skin. This is quite simply not true, and we strongly recommend against using tanning salons, for all skin types. The World Health Organization lists tanning beds as one of the most dangerous sources of cancer-causing radiation. In fact, using artificial tanning beds before the age of 35 more than doubles your chances of developing skin cancer later in life.

Los Angeles IPL and Skin Rejuvenation

Our office provides IPL and skin rejuvenation treatments to combat the effects of sun damage and premature aging. With our non-invasive and innovative treatments, we can work on removing and resurfacing your skin for a healthier, more youthful appearance.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Surgical facelifts have always been a somewhat risky way to achieve a younger look. They’re effective, but often too effective – everyone has heard stories from legions of patients left with over-stretched, artificial-looking skin. They’re also costly, both in terms of the financial outlay, as well as the sometimes extended periods needed to fully recover.

The good news is that there are now several non-invasive treatments that can achieve similar results to surgical procedures, as well as address conditions (fine wrinkles, creases around the nose and upper lip, and hollowed-out cheeks) that surgery cannot.

Liquid Facelifts

It’s possible to combine injectable fillers with Botox to achieve very similar (and even superior) results to surgical facelifts. In our office, we use a combination of Botox, various fillers, Sculptra and Juvederm Voluma for liquid facelifts. These products can be used to target a wide range of problems, ranging from fine wrinkles to moderate or severe lines and skin folds, on the forehead, between the eyebrows, in the folds of the nose, around the lips and mouth, and elsewhere. They allow dynamic areas of the face to be effectively treated while retaining a natural look (an area which surgical face-lifts are typically unable to address). They also have the ability to provide a degree of lift to sagging areas of the face, as well as compensate for unwanted loss of fat beneath the skin.

We also use Kybella, an FDA-approved injectable treatment that can be used to dissolve fat under the chin. Kybella results will be seen in four to six weeks after treatment, and last for several years. Kybella is applied over the course of several sessions, leading to more gradual, and hence more natural-looking, results.

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is a proprietary technology that allows excess fat to be precisely targeted and destroyed by using cold temperatures to freeze the fat cells. The cold temperature is applied using cooling pads placed on the surface of the skin, including under the chin area. Results are visible about three weeks after each procedure as fat cells are gradually absorbed by the body.

CoolSculpting is one of the fastest-growing non-surgical treatments. We are thrilled to be able to add it to our list of available treatments in early 2019.

Most facelifts are performed to address double chins and facial skin folds. You can combine fillers, Juvederm Voluma, Sculptra in the mid-face area with Botox on the forehead, and use Kybella or CoolSculpting under the chin, to totally transform and rejuvenate your look, or simply use one or more treatments to address more minor concerns.  Either way, we will be delighted to discuss whatever treatment options you’re interested in. Don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with us.

Schedule a Nonsurgical “Facelift”

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and filler injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Hyaluronic Acid occurs naturally in the body, primarily in the skin, joints, and eyes. It performs a major role in lubricating joints and maintaining the healthy appearance of the skin. The body’s hyaluronic acid levels decrease with age, which can contribute to various age-related skin and joint problems.

Hyaluronic acid is also the active ingredient that forms the basis of just about all popular cosmetic injectable filler products, as well as in many supplements and topically-applied skin creams and lotions.

To learn why this is so, we’ll explore its various properties – you’ll see that this substance possesses a quite remarkable number of desirable properties.

Skin Hydrating

Keeping hydrated typically means drinking enough water to maintain your body’s correct level of fluids.

Hyaluronic acid’s most interesting property is its ability to retain water -amazingly a single gram of hyaluronic acid can bind up to six liters of water. Fortunately, it also has the ability to regulate the level of moisture inside cells, so that skin cells will retain the appropriate amount of water. This is key to keeping your skin looking (and feeling) healthy as you age.

Note that hydrating is not the same as moisturizing – although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, hydrating products are designed to increase the water content of the skin, while moisturizing products are designed to seal moisture into the skin by forming a protective barrier over its surface.

Hyaluronic acid is often combined with moisturizers to help boost the skin’s natural barrier to losing water, it also provides long-term benefits by continuing to draw in and retain water long after being applied.

Combats the Effects of Aging

As the natural levels of hyaluronic acid decline with age, the skin loses its elasticity and the skin’s overall vitality declines. When hyaluronic acid is applied to the skin, the level of moisture in the skin increases and the skin cells increase in size, which improves overall firmness of the skin. This helps to combat age-related loss of skin tone, improves skin texture, and can also compensate for loss of body fat beneath the skin.

Increasing the skin’s ability to retain moisture will also lessen the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid also promotes skin cell regeneration, and it reduces the visibility of age spots and uneven pigmentation. The overall effect is to give you a healthier-looking complexion.

Reduction in Clogged Pores

When your skin has the correct moisture balance, excess production of oil will be reduced, which in turn leads to fewer clogged pores.

Natural Product

As we mentioned hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body. As a natural product, it can generally be applied or injected without fear of allergic reactions. When used as injectables, hyaluronic acid products are often modified to create a thicker and more stable gel, which allows it to be used to fill in larger areas under the skin.

To cap off this impressive list, hyaluronic acid, when applied topically, is also used to treat burns, bed sores, skin ulcers, and help heal wounds. And if that’s not enough, apparently it can also be used to combat dry eyes, and research is underway to investigate using it to preserve joints and prevent bladder spasms.

We’d be happy to schedule a consultation to discuss the various ways you could use hyaluronic acid to improve your skin’s condition.